1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card connectors for electrically connecting cards to circuit boards and, particularly, to a card connector for retaining a card for a portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese patent application Kokai No. 11-135192 discloses a card connector of this type. This card connector comprises a body, a slider pushed into the body along with a card, a spring provided between the slider and the body, a cam mechanism consisting of a cam provided on a side face of the slider and a pin provided on a side wall of the body, and a pin-depressing spring attached to an lateral wall extending laterally from the side wall of the body. The cam mechanism works as a lock/unlock mechanism for the slider. The card insertion/removal is made by push-push operation on the card edge.
In the above card connector, however, the lock/unlock mechanism is so complex and the number of parts is so large that it is difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost. In addition, the lateral wall extending laterally from the body side wall makes it difficult to miniaturize the device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a card connector capable of reducing the number of parts, simplifying the mechanism, reducing the manufacturing cost, and miniaturizing the device.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a detachable card to a circuit board, comprising a case having a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a bottom wall for retaining the detachable card; a cam member provided in one of the side walls and having an engaging portion; an ejector biased forwardly and being slidable together with the detachable card along the side walls; a pin member supported by the ejector so as to operate along the cam member; a pin control supported by the ejector so as to bias the pin member toward the cam member thereby suppressing movement of the pin member, wherein when the detachable card is inserted into the case to a predetermined position, the pin member engages with the engaging portion of the cam member and the pin control biases the pin member toward the cam member to secure the engagement between the pin member and the engaging portion.
It is preferred that the card connector further comprises a release member consisting of a push rod slidable along the cam member outside the ejector and having a release portion, and a push button projecting forwardly from the case, wherein when the push button is depressed with the card being retained in the case, the release portion of the push rod moves the pin member against the pin control to release the engagement between the pin member and the cam member.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a detachable card to a circuit board, comprising a case consisting of a case body to be mounted on the circuit board and having a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a bottom wall and a case cover having a pair of side walls for closing an top opening of the case body; an ejector biased forwardly and being slidable together with the detachable card along the side walls; a pin member having a support section supported by the ejector and a rotary section rotatable about the support section; a cam member provided in one of the side walls of either the case body or the case cover and having a slide section on which the rotary portion of the pin member is slidable and an engaging portion for engagement with the rotary portion; a pin support provided in the ejector so as to restrict movement of the pin member; a pin control supported by the ejector so as to bias the pin member toward the cam member thereby restricting upward movement of the pin member, wherein when the detachable card is inserted into the case to a predetermined position, the rotary portion engages with the engaging portion of the cam member and the pin control biases the pin member toward the cam member to secure the engagement between the rotary portion and the engaging portion.
It is preferred that the card connector further comprises a release member consisting of a push rod slidable along the cam member outside the ejector and having a sloped face tapered toward its front end, and a push button projecting forwardly from the case, wherein when the push button is depressed with the card being retained in the case, the rotary portion of the pin member slides on the sloped face against the pin control to release the engagement between the rotary portion and the engaging portion. The cam member has a guiding section on which the push rod is slidable.
According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a detachable card to a circuit board, comprising a case consisting of a case body to be mounted on the circuit board and having a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a bottom wall and a case cover having a pair of side walls for closing an top opening of the case body; an ejector biased forwardly and being slidable together with the detachable card along the side walls; a pin member having a support section supported by the ejector and a rotary section rotatable about the support section; a cam member having a heart cam provided in one of the side walls of either the case body or the case cover; a pin control supported by the ejector so as to bias the pin member toward the cam member thereby restricting upward movement of the pin member, wherein when the detachable card is inserted into the case to a predetermined position, the rotary portion of the pin member engages with the heart cam of the cam member and the pin control biases the pin member toward the cam member to secure the engagement between the rotary portion and the engaging portion and, when the card is depressed with the card being retained in the case, the engagement between the rotary portion and the cam member is released.
It is preferred that the ejector comprises a card lock laterally flexible for engagement with an engaging notch of the card and a rib member is provided on either the case body or the case cover to restrict lateral flexure of the card lock.
Since the pin member and the pin control are attached to the ejector and since the cam member is provided in the side wall of the case, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, simplifying the structure, reducing the manufacturing cost, and miniaturizing the device.